The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-11-10

Ou SOuioh VA s''"s OHN,
John put in, with another admiring
glance.
"And If I'm going to have rice-pud-
ding for dinner it ought to be going on"
said Lottic, musingly.
But she kept on feeling aimlessly about
for curtain fixtures.
"rd be glad to walk home with you if
my time were my own" said John, visit
fully.
"You've never been to the house,
have you7" Lottic qucricd.
"You've never invited me-" John re-
spondcd, with gentle rcproach. mot
that I'd dare to como if you did," he
added, with faint motion of his head
toward Mr.. Lamphicr.
Lottic sighed.
"If you could get an evening off," she
suggested, timidly. 'Pa isn't home till
half-past ten or so, and"
John turned radiantly- grateful faco
upon her.
"You know I'd be delighted, Miss
Lamphier," he almost gaspcd. "Td-'
"Stockhamw Mr.. Lamphier's voice
was alarmingly near. 81 want that box
of spices opened immediately"
Mr.. Lamphier's head projected itself
over the counter; he glared down at the
startled pair beneath it.
John looked at Lottic. There was a
daring light in his eyes.
'I'll come this evening"
He formed the words inaudibly with
his lips, aud hurried away.
Mr.. Lamphicr slapped the package of
rice on the counter, frowningly.
Lottie brushed off her dress, read
justed her veil, extracted a piece of
ctron from a jar and nibblcd at it, and
went out, with o parting smile for John
Stockham.
If Lottic put on her best dress, and
her pretticst ruchings, and her silver
hair-pin and bracelets, that evening,
after her father had eaten his supper and
gone back to the store; and if somebody
knocked at the kitchen-door about
eight; and if the kitchen resounded for
two hours thereafter with pleasant chat,
and harmless badiuage, and light-hearted
laughter-if these things occurred, sure
ly it was nobody's business.
81 don't need to tell you how I've en-
ioyed the evening, Miss Lamphier," said
John Stockham, earnestly, as he rose at
last, lingeringly. ~ know I shouldn't
have come; butt couldn't help it and
l can't be sorry did"
"Ccrtainly not" said Lottic, with
pretty warmth.
II should like to como again." John
pursued; ''but of course this isn't the
way"
II don't care---so now!' said Lottie
stoutly. eff pa will be so unreasonable,
| don't know what else VIC can Good
ness! what is that, Mr.. Stocl1ham2'
She shifted the air apprehonsivcly.
John shifted, too.
dts smoke!" he declared.
"Mcrcy! whcre2" cried Lottic.
"Wc'll have to investigate" said
John. taking up the lamp.
They went into the back entry. 1t
was blue with smoke. Lottie gave q
little scream.
Something's afrc," said John Stock
ham. "Don't be alarmed, Miss Lam
phicr," he added, solicitously.
He opened the wood-house door. They
were chokcd by the rush of smoke and
hot air. Their startled gaze revealed
one side of the wood house alive with
licking, darting flames.
John Stockham's practical mind
worked quickly.
"Wherc's the sink Miss Lamphier"
he demanded, "and a water pail. Two,
if possible. We'll have to work to stop
it. ISIS got a good start
They did work. They rushed to and
fro with heavy pals of water, half
blinded by the smoke, hot from the
flames, dripping with spilled water.
At the end of confused fifteen min
utes, they sat down, exhausted and diz-
zy, IN the doorway, and surveyed the
scene.
Ono wall of the wood-house was
burned black. At one point the flames
had burst through, and the moonlight
came streaming in.
1t shone on the recumbent form of a
red-faced, blowsy, and obviously in
cbriatcd tramp, sleeping peacefully on a
pile of kindling wood. 1t shone on
dirty clay pipe thrust into little mound
of shavings, which still smouldered. II
shone, furthermore, on Mr.. Lampshier,
standing in the wood-house door and
staring in.
Lottie was moro than equal to the oc-
casion. She was net person to let q
golden opportunity escape her.
She rushed over to her father and
clasped both hands around his arm, with
| n trauic LITTLE shriek
'tOh, pa" she cried, "just look! Just
think what you've escaped! The house
would have been burned down in an
other minute-in one minute-all burned
down. Mr. Stockham has saved it. II
no hadn't been here and we hadn't
smelled smoke and come out here, found
the wood-house all ablaze, and worked
like anything to put it out. just think
what would have happenedl 1t was that
horrid tramp. He'd got in here some
how and gone to sleep smoking. and his
horrid pipe had set things afre. I'm So